Individual agents are frequently evident in early writing and
notational systems, yet these systems have rarely been subjected to
the concept of agency as it is traceable in archeology. Agency
in Ancient Writing addresses this oversight, allowing
archeologists to identify and discuss real, observable actors and
actions in the archaeological record.
Embracing myriad ways in which agency can be interpreted,
ancient writing systems from Mesoamerica, Mesopotamia, Egypt,
Crete, China, and Greece are examined from a textual perspective as
both archaeological objects and nascent historical documents. This
allows for distinction among intentions, consequences, meanings,
and motivations, increasing understanding and aiding interpretation
of the subjectivity of social actors. Chapters focusing on acts of
writing and public recitation overlap with those addressing the
materiality of texts, interweaving archaeology, epigraphy, and the
study of visual symbol systems.
Agency in Ancient Writing leads to a more thorough and
meaningful discussion of agency as an archaeological concept and
will be of interest to anyone interested in ancient texts,
including archaeologists, historians, linguists, epigraphers, and
art historians, as well as scholars studying agency and
structuration theory.
eISBN: 978-1-60732-209-2
Subjects: Sociology, Anthropology, Archaeology
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